Preservation concerns amid Singapore building rush

SINGAPORE - A rush to tear down and redevelop buildings in Singapore has prompted calls to conserve aging properties that symbolize the country's recent history and economic rise.

The land-starved island is known for the gleaming skyscrapers and contemporary architectural designs that punctuate its skyline, such as the Marina Bay Sands hotel, which looks like a surfboard perched atop three towers.

While the city has preserved some buildings from its colonial past, the Singapore Heritage Society said on Tuesday more needed to be done to preserve brutalist blocks built just after the city-state achieved independence in 1965.